Produce, such as meat, dairy, eggs, fish, fruits and vegetables, are perishable. The produce may decay completely (thus becoming a total loss) or the quality of the produce may go down, typically due to bacterial infestation. After the, produce is processed or packed it may be shipped and/or stored in cold storage and/or in ambient storage, and if necessary, pesticides, such as fungicides, bactericides and virucides of various kinds can be used in the storage room to reduce the chances of decay of the produce.
The pesticides may be applied to the produce in many ways. For example, they may be applied by aerosol spraying, with water sprinklers, by gas, or by fogging.
PCT Patent Publication WO 2005023679 to McLiskey describes an aerosol sprayer for pesticides for a shipping container or a reefer. The pesticides are light sensitive, and the device includes a light sensor which mechanically activates the aerosol sprayer in the dark.